title: High-infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages predicts unfavorable clinical outcome for node-negative breast cancer.
abstract: The tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and infiltrating immune cells, which may inhibit or promote tumor growth and progression. The objectives of this retrospective study were to characterize the density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in breast cancer, and to correlate the density of TAMs with clinicopathological parameters. Paraffin-embedded specimens and clinicopathological data, including up to 5 years follow-up information, were obtained from 172 breast cancer patients. Immunohistochemical staining for CD68 (marker for macrophages) was performed and evaluated in a blinded fashion. We found that TAMs were significantly frequent in high histopathological grade breast cancer patients. Breast cancer patients with a high density of TAMs had significantly lower rates of disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival than patients with low density of TAMs. Furthermore, high-infiltration of TAMs indicated worse survival rate for patients with node-negative breast cancer. In conclusion, the number of TAMs in the tumor stroma is an independent predictor of survival time for breast cancer patients. High-infiltration of TAMs is a significant unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with invasive breast cancer and, as such, is a potentially useful prognostic marker for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shaoqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Mingyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Qingyuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhigao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000276:immunology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule